(L to R) Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in ‘Friendship’. Photo: A24.
‘Friendship’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
Opening in theaters May 9 is ‘Friendship,’ directed by Andrew DeYoung and starring Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd, Kate Mara, Jack Dylan Grazer, Josh Segarra, Billy Bryk, and Jon Glaser.
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Initial Thoughts
Tim Robinson in ‘Friendship’. Credit: Courtesy of A24.
There may be no better combination of actor and director this year than that of Tim Robinson and Andrew DeYoung. The former, who stars in and created the cringe comedy sketch show ‘I Think You Should Leave,’ is the perfect embodiment of Craig Waterman, the disagreeable, terminally awkward, and uncomfortable-in-his-own-skin main character in DeYoung’s feature directorial and writing debut, ‘Friendship.’
Also starring Paul Rudd in a typically charismatic yet slightly sour take on the kind of suave, in-control “guy’s guy” that he’s parodied in films like ‘Anchorman’ (which gets a nod here as Rudd’s character also works on a local news broadcast), ‘Friendship’ riotously focuses on the often-strained nature of male relationships in a culture that downplays the value of real human connection and emphasizes the paranoia and one-upmanship that underlies neighborly bonhomie.
Story and Direction
Tim Robinson in ‘Friendship’. Credit: Courtesy of A24.
“There’s a new Marvel out…it’s supposed to be nuts,” says Craig Waterman (Tim Robinson) to his disaffected son Steven (Jack Dylan Grazer) as Craig slumps in his usual chair in the Waterman family living room. For Craig, seeing a “new Marvel” together is the only means he can bond with his boy, who’s already seen the movie and is increasingly disinterested in any kind of shared activity with his dad at all. Meanwhile, Craig’s wife Tami (Kate Mara) has a perfect way to get Craig out of his sedentary routine: a package has accidentally been delivered to their house that’s meant for their new neighbor down the street, and she sees sending Craig over there with the package as a means to get him out of the house and perhaps make a new friend.
And that’s exactly what happens – for a brief time, anyway. Schlubby, dyspeptic Craig trundles down his icy suburban street – located in “Clovis, USA,” wherever that is, and peppered with houses seemingly trapped in the ‘70s – with the package and finds out that the new neighbor is Austin Carmichael (Paul Rudd – is Ant-Man in that “new Marvel”?), a slick weatherman on the local news program. Austin seems like everything Craig is not: quick-witted, fit, stylish (to a point), philosophical, yet fun – the kind of guy everyone wants to hang out with. So imagine Craig’s delight when he does just that – a whirlwind courtship, as it were — and is even invited to a get-together at Austin’s house with some other male friends.
But it’s not very long before Craig – whose own boring day job entails making phone apps more addictive for users – makes a buffoon of himself, his own lack of social skills, etiquette, and composure alienating Austin and his friends even though Craig has pretty much fallen in love with his new buddy. Their short-lived bromance turns so sour so fast that Craig begins swirling down a deep drain of his own paranoia, lack of self-confidence, and humiliation, which threatens to drag down the rest of his family and whatever rickety sense of normalcy his life still has.
If this sounds grim, well, it is – kind of. There’s an underlying darkness to this material that could quite possibly be twisted into a horror tale. That impression is buttressed by the general wintry chill of the neighborhood and the dated, drab look of the homes there, inside and out. But DeYoung isn’t after dread – at least not dread alone. He wants to dissect the strange nature of male relationships, perhaps the hardest to cultivate and maintain in a society where honest connection is ever so fleeting. Austin and his friend gather in Austin’s mancave for an evening that segues from support group emotional catharsis to low-key, safe space fight club antics, but Craig is not equipped to pivot and adjust. He’s either going to blow or collapse, hilariously doing a little of both in a sequence that’s deeply uproarious, disorienting, and surreal at the same time.
That’s pretty much the tone that DeYoung and his nimble cast establish throughout ‘Friendship’ – a mixture of behavior both disturbing and hysterically funny. There is heart and real pain in the movie as well – embodied by Tami and even in some instances by Craig – but Craig’s escalating fury and hurt toward Austin, which wrecks everything around him, veer squarely in the direction of black comedy. One could argue that Tim Robinson’s style might work better in small doses – there are moments when one becomes exhausted with Craig’s conduct – but DeYoung keeps the individual gags funny enough and the narrative unpredictable enough to sustain a feature film.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Kate Mara and Tim Robinson in ‘Friendship’. Credit: Courtesy of A24.
Tim Robinson is perhaps the very definition of an acquired taste as an actor, but there’s no question that he was born to play Craig Waterman. Self-centered, irritating, passive-aggressive, at times almost dangerously unbalanced, and yet oddly vulnerable, Craig is a difficult character to like but one who – through Robinson’s perfectly calibrated performance – you can’t take your eyes off (even as he makes you squirm). Craig’s almost complete lack of self-awareness and increasingly volatile emotional state mask his desperate need for connection, which makes the character as human as he is unhinged.
While Robinson’s Craig is fascinating to watch in a car-crash kind of way, Paul Rudd’s seemingly bottomless well of charisma and comic timing make his Austin Carmichael almost comforting. But there’s a subtle streak of meanness in him that belies his own surface cool and reveals his personal insecurity. While this initially seems like the kind of performance that Rudd could give in his sleep at this point, there is more complexity to it than first meets the eye.
Although this is in many ways a two-hander for Robinson and Rudd, kudos must also go to Kate Mara for also delivering one of the more intricate performances of her career. Mara hasn’t always had the chance to shine, but she does here as Tami, her seemingly endless patience for her husband and general kind-heartedness also hiding deep disappointment, embarrassment, and ultimately anger. Not only does Andrew DeYoung get fantastic work from his three leads, but every character is written to be memorable in their own way, right down to the mobile phone store clerk who runs a drug business in the back.
Final Thoughts
Tim Robinson in ‘Friendship’. Credit: Courtesy of A24.
‘Friendship’ is not for everyone. It’s a genuinely weird movie and some viewers may find themselves wondering why they are investing 100 minutes of their time into a protagonist as frequently anxiety-inducing as Craig Waterman. But that’s the point: we all know someone like that – and we may be that person for somebody else. The movie is about the very real struggle all of us face to forge true, lasting bonds with others through the walls of our own fears, prejudices, and self-doubts.
‘Friendship’ is primarily about men in that regard, but it’s a universal theme as well. And it’s also laugh-out-loud funny, with healthy bouts of cringe-inducing comedy throughout. Andrew DeYoung and Tim Robinson have created one of the more original comedies we’ve seen in a while, and we wouldn’t mind seeing this creative, er, friendship continue from here.
“Men shouldn’t have friends.”
Suburban dad Craig falls hard for his charismatic new neighbor, as Craig’s attempts to make an adult male friend threaten to ruin both of their lives. Read the Plot
What is the plot of ‘Friendship’?
A suburban dad named Craig (Tim Robinson) attempts to become friends with his new neighbor, Austin (Paul Rudd), but the relationship quickly goes awry and sends Craig’s life spiraling into chaos and disruption.
Who is in the cast of ‘Friendship’?
- Tim Robinson as Craig Waterman
- Paul Rudd as Austin Carmichael
- Kate Mara as Tami Waterman
- Jack Dylan Grazer as Steven Waterman
- Josh Segarra as Devon
- Billy Bryk as Tony
- Jon Glaser as Big Sam
- Rick Worthy as Mr. Mendoza
(L to R) Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in ‘Friendship’. Credit: Courtesy of A24.
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